The Original Zuppa Inglese - Italian Trifle

Desserts

Zuppa inglese (or Italian Trifle) is an iconic Italian dessert very much in vogue in the 70s and 80s and now making a great comeback. It is easy

to prepare and requires only a few ingredients: A fresh sponge cake, excellent Vanilla and Chocolate Custard, and the unmistakable touch of Alchermes liqueur the famous Italian liqueur, with a spicy taste and an unmistakable red color.

Print Recipe

Preparation: 20

Cooking: 30

Freezing: 4

Total Time: 4 50

RECIPE FOR: 8 people

EQUIPMENTS

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Electric Mixer or a Stand Mixer
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Cake Pan
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Pastry Ring 24cm diameter

Ingredients

For the Sponge Cake

250 gr Eggs
150 gr Granulated Sugar
100 gr all-purpose flour
50 gr Potato Starch
1 pod Vaniglia Bourbon

For the Custard

500 gr Whole Milk
120 gr Heavy Cream
180 gr Egg Yolks
180 gr Granulated Sugar
21 gr Corn Starch
21 gr Rice Starch
150 gr Dark Chocolate 70%

For Soaking the Sponge Cake

200 gr Alchermes Liqueur

For the Italian Meringue for Decoration

200 gr Egg Whites
350 gr Granulated Sugar
50 gr dextrose powder if not available, replace with equal weight of Sugar
115 gr water

DIRECTIONS

For the Sponge Cake

Beat eggs with sugar in a mixer until the mass has grown 5 times its initial volume.
Sift the powders (flour and starch) 2 times and add them in 3 batches to the egg whisk, using a spatula to mix.
Pour the sponge cake mixture into a buttered cake pan or a 24cm diameter ring and bake at 170°C (338°F) for 20 minutes.
Once baked, take the sponge cake out of the oven, dust it with caster sugar, and let it cool upside down so that the surface is even.

For the Custard

Bring the milk and cream to a boil. Separately, beat the egg yolks with the sugar, powders and vanilla
Stem the egg mixture with milk; mix 3/4 of the liquid and bring to a simmer once you have poured it all into a pot.
Pour a first half of the cream into a well-cleaned baking dish (perhaps sterilized with food-grade alcohol), sprinkle with caster sugar, and blast (or freeze) until it reaches +4°C (38°F).
Chop up the dark Chocolate. Pour the second half of the cream over the chocolate and mix carefully to blend everything.

For the Italian Meringue

Cook the granulated sugar (350gr) and water at 121°C (250°F). Around 110°C (230°F) start whipping the egg whites with the dextrose (or 50gr granulated sugar, if not available).
Whip the meringue until it cools.

How to assembly the Zuppa Inglese

Cover the edges and bottom of a 24cm-diameter pastry ring with slices of sponge cake cut to a thickness of about 1/2cm.
Drizzle with Alchermes liquor and place a first layer of chocolate custard.
Arrange a second layer of sponge cake and soak with the Alchemes. Arrange a second layer of custard (white) and finish with a final layer of sponge cake to close the cake.
Place the Zuppa Inglese in a blast chiller or freezer until completely frozen.
Unmold, soak the outer surface with Alchermes liquor and decorate with roses of Italian meringue. Sprinkle with a light layer of powdered sugar and flame with a pastry torch to stabilize the meringue.
Allow the Zuppa Inglese to unfreeze in the refrigerator at +4°C (+38°F) before serving.